The Stolen Child
by SlytherinQueen
Summary: An old foe, and the Silence start teaming up against the Doctor. But what is it they want? And what happens when there's a second Doctor aboard the TARDIS? How will the Doctors and their companion fight the Silence? Hopefully three geniuses are better than just one.
1. Chapter 1

**The Stolen Child**

_Chapter one:_

Familiar sounds of gadgets popping and whirring filled my ears as I watched the Doctor play with the dials on the console of the TARDIS. A huge grin remained plastered to my face as the Doctor shot a wink my way.

"Ah Pip! Can you feel it; the excitement?" He asked with a laugh. I nodded in agreement and jumped up and switched on the radio to give us some dancing music. He pulled a lever nearby for takeoff then fell back onto the couch behind him. He laughed at my terrible dancing and I joined him moments later on the couch.

"The biggest, tremendous, coolest meteor shower the Earth has ever seen! And we're gonna get us a front row seats!" I said wiping my blonde hair out of my face.

"Meteor showers are cool," The Doctor replied with a goofy grin. "This meteor shower was so big and so close to Earth that the ground shook as several of them passed through parts of the atmosphere!"

"Then what are we waiting for?" I asked grabbing the blankets from nearby and holding them up high above my head with a laugh. The Doctor rambled about the front row seats we were gonna get for this amazing show. I watched him again as he adjusted the levers and knobs on the console and then parked the TARDIS. The all too familiar noise came on as the time machine landed.

"Tell me that you are seeing this for the first time like me!" I said as he began heading down the stairs toward the door. I ran towards him, blankets streaming behind me like a cape. The Doctor let out a huge heartfelt laugh and shook his head.

"Cross both my hearts and hope die and never regenerate," He said with a huge grin. I smiled and giving in to the temptation to dance in excitement let out a little wiggle while he pushed open the door. I bolted from the TARDIS and ran right out ready to lie down the blankets and get our seats ready for the show.

"Oh this is perfect! Right out by the sea!" I sat down and placed the second blanket over my lap.

"For some reason, this makes me think back to the night we first met," I said suddenly. He put his hands in his pocket and looked at me sitting on the blanket at his feet.

"Ah yes, the big museum ball they threw for you and your team. That was a grand night indeed. I knew you'd be a good companion when you bested my psychic paper," He replied with a smile. He sat down next to me as I uncorked the bottle of wine I brought out for the occasion. He looked at me and I just smiled and poured myself a glass.

"I'd offer you some Doctor, but I know you'll just spit it back out again because you always forget how much you hate it," I said. He nodded in agreement though his face said otherwise. He just hates it when I'm right for once. Wine was always for sharing in my family, but it didn't always have to be. My parents loved their wine, and we grew up knowing what we good and what was bad and a glass at the end of a good day was just the type of thing we all did to wind down at night. As we relaxed and enjoyed the sea air, the first meteor showed up.

"It's starting!"

"Here we go!" We both looked at each other excitedly and linked hands as the falling rocks passed above our heads. The sky lit up as if it was day and the ground shook beneath us. The sound was incredible, like being inside a waterfall and an engine of an airplane at the same time.

"I told you this would be cool, meteor showers are always cool. Well, unless you are the meteor, then I guess it wouldn't be so cool….more like scary…"

"Doctor! Shut it will you? You're ruining the show!" I joked playfully hitting him. We both laughed and enjoyed the thrilling experience.

"Can you believe that something so seemingly simple like rocks falling through space above us is what is causing the ground to shake and rumble? It's so fascinating!" I paused and sighed happily. "Makes me wish my PHD was in astrology at the moment…"

"Now who's the one that's being rude and ruining the show? Shush it!" The Doctor joked winking at me. We gaped at the sky for what felt like hours. It felt like we could just hold the universe in our hands if we really wanted to. The shower only lasted about ten minutes, but the ground continued to shake a few minutes after it was over.

"After shock!" The Doctor laughed jumping up and down a couple of times.

"Think of the amount of energy that this would produce if we had the tools to harness it!" I said to him spinning around in a small circle. We enjoyed the sea air a little while longer before getting ready for our next adventure.

"I wonder what the rest of 2372 is like. The anthropologist in me wants to know…"

"Boring. Weather is normal, mostly sunny here all year round. Nobody important dies, nobody important is born."

"You spoil all the fun sometimes!" I replied wrinkling my face up. He laughed and shook his head at me.

"This is what I get for picking an anthropologist. You lot are just as bad as archaeologists…"

"Oi! Watch it Time Lord! I do people not tombs!" I replied poking him in the arm. He flinched though it couldn't hurt, he just wanted a reaction.

"Either way I point and laugh at your kind," He teased. I rolled my eyes and smiled. His goofy grin still plastered to his face. We sat there for a moment, just enjoying how things were: still and peaceful.

"Where should we go next?" He asked. I lit up like a Christmas tree. I had a grand idea and I knew it would be great.

"Can we go meet Tesla please? I really, really and I mean really want to go meet him!" I said picking up the wine bottle and glass packing up the blankets as well. The Doctor made a face at me.

"Really? Tesla? But there are so many other things we can go see. Cool things…" He complained a little.

"Tesla is cool! Better than Edison anyway! And we always do your ideas. This was one of the good ones. That last three have turned out way wrong!" I replied begging him. He scoffed at me and shook his head in disagreement.

"What? No way! Name at least one!"

"Oh let's see here…Custer…"

"Alien…" The Doctor cut in under his breath. I rolled my eyes and continued.

"What about the day you wanted to go see the World Trade Centre? And then it turned out we arrived on 9/11?"

"Aliens again…" The Doctor said. I again rolled my eyes and sighed.

"And let's not forget my favorite anagram…..The Dalkes in Disney World…." I sighed. The Doctor got all defensive.

"It's the happiest place on Earth! Why were there Dalkes there?" He said waving his arms in the air like he does sometimes. I shook my head as we began walking back towards the TARDIS. The Doctor gave a small sigh and he stopped me.

"Alright, let's go see Tesla then. You've made your point," He told me. My eyes got wide and a smile spread across my face.

"Seriously? You mean it?" I asked him. He nodded and then he smiled at me. I jumped up in joy. When we got close enough to the TARDIS it was my turn to stop the Doctor. He gave me a confused look and I smiled even wider.

"May I please try it?" I asked referring to snapping my fingers and opening the TARDIS door. He laughed and told me no. I pouted and asked again. The Doctor told me no once more.

"You need a psychic link with the TARDIS that takes years to develop. Try 500 minimum to build a solid link. You've been on the TARDIS with me three years, the link will not work and I can promise you that," He said in his factoid voice of his. It didn't stop me from trying. I raised my hand, fingers in the snap ready position.

"One…two….three…" I counted, and then the doors burst open. The Doctor stared at me in pure disbelief and my mouth was open in shock.

"That's impossible…"

"I didn't do that…..Doctor. Doctor I didn't do that…" I mumbled still a bit miffed. A figure suddenly appeared in the doorway of the TARDIS and we both froze. The figure was hunched over, as if in pain, leaning heavily on the door frame of the blue box. The moon was very bright, and his face was clearly visible. He saw us and shook his head as if trying to clear it.

"What?" He said. I got a little closer, as the Doctor stayed back.

"What?" He said again. I knew this man…

"Doctor…I know this man…this…this…is you…" I put it together but it didn't make sense. It just didn't make any sense.

"I know that…but how do you?" The Doctor asked me standing beside me now. I exchanged looks with him as we watched the man crouch down in pain.

"WHAT?" He said the last time before he passed out. Together we got him back into the TARDIS and covered him up with the blankets and let him rest.

"How did you know that is me in a past regeneration?" My Doctor asked one last time as we looked at him. I snickered a little and looked back at the console behind me.

"I tampered with the Voice Interface system a little after River showed me her picture book. She knows all your faces, and I do too. This was just your past, but how can he be here? That's a paradox… something very strong is obviously keeping him here, and possibly something else from your past…" I said kneeling by the man with a concerned look. The Doctor returned the concerned look and we both let out a sigh.

"I'm not going to get to meet Tesla now am I?"


	2. Chapter 2

**The Stolen Child**

_Chapter two:_

We studied the other Doctor for a while as he rested. He was very attractive with spiky brown hair and a brown striped suit. On his feet he had bright red converses. His breathing was slow and steady and that was good. Meant he was getting a good and healthy rest.

"So how far back is this for you?" I asked my Doctor as I sat by the man. He nodded as if in thought and gazed at his former self.

"My guess is 903?" He replied skeptical. We passed theories back and forth about how this could be possible. A sudden groan caused us to jump.

"Ooh…that was the nastiest time travel without a capsule I've ever had…" He mumbled trying to sit up. I stopped him immediately.

"Oh no you don't! You passed out on us, so you need to take it slow. Doctor, would you mind getting some water?" I asked my Doctor. He nodded and left to go to the kitchen. I helped the other Doctor sit up slowly as he rubbed his head. He looked about confused.

"This…this isn't my TARDIS…." I didn't know how to respond at first.

"Not how I decorate anyway. Sorry, feeling much better now. What's your name?" He asked me extending one of his hands, the other still on his head.

"I'm Pippa, Pippa Rider. Nice to meet you Doctor," I paused and chuckled to myself a little. "I guess to keep you two from getting confused I might have to give you nicknames huh?" I said right as my Doctor came back with the glass of water. He smiled at me as I took it from him and gave it to the other Doctor.

"What is this I hear about nicknames? I like nicknames, nicknames are cool," He said with a laugh. The other Doctor looked mine over carefully eyeing the bow tie and tweed jacket. I couldn't hold in the laugh that bubbled from my lips. I knew exactly what he was thinking.

"I generated into that? A bow tie really? Since when have those been cool?"

"Bow ties are always cool! Better than a tie…" My doctor replied scoffing at his past. I gave him a glare and turned back to the other man. I felt caught in the middle a little. The two men quickly sorted it out by shutting up and I went back to business.

"Right, well, it's a little obvious what they will be but here we go. You are now Suit, and you are Bow Tie. No puns, no jokes, no nothing. Just shut up and take the nickname and let's get on with this shall we?" The men nodded and the air cleared. I stood up and clapped my palms together.

"So, what is going on here? Why do we have a paradox on our hands and why isn't everything collapsing around it?" I asked. Bow Tie helped Suit slowly to his feet and the two began to pace, thinking.

"Bleed through? Shared delusion?" I threw out as I sat on the steps watching the two men. Suit was thoughtfully patting the top of his head, as if pounding the answer to the surface. My Doctor just paced, his face pulled into a frown.

"No...this is a side effect of something...accidental time reversal causing travel without a capsule. But..." My Doctor began. I shook my head a little waiting for the rest. When he didn't respond right away I pounded my hands together.

"But..?"

"Ah...it's complicated, because where ever this time reversal originated from has to have a paradox already in place..." Suit filled in for him. I sighed loudly and rested my head on the railing. This was like a needle in a hay stack trying to figure out which odd possibility wasn't the one that we were dealing with.

"Oh..." Suit said suddenly stopping. He ran to the monitor and began furiously typing things in.

"The energy from the meteor shower...would have caused enough power to pull someone forward in time, and cause a slip in time. Normally, that's a huge problem, but the energy was natural so it tricked the Earth, and caused a paradox!" Bow Tie said suddenly picking up on what Suit was trying to figure out only moments before. Suit nodded and tapped the screen.

"Exactly! Oh this is brilliant, just bloody brilliant. No one would have known...but obviously I'm not the intended otherwise I would have landed where ever the lab for this experiment was. But I was a side effect as stated previously, so I went to the first place that knows my energy signature nearby. Lucky for both of you," Suit said with a grin. I smiled back in return, still wondering exactly what we were dealing with. I doubted I was going to get an answer tonight though.

"So what ever got pulled through was pulled into this exact location and time? That's why you got pulled here too, and we just happened to be in the right place at the right time to catch you. If the transference was close, then whatever or whoever got pulled through, was standing right next to you when they did the time travel. But what I don't get is..."

"Why not just use time travel the good old way and ask the person or thing to come or simply take it out of its time? Why did it have to be dragged out?" My Doctor finished my thought. I got up and began to pace now, while the men sat down figuring it out. I was smart, but smart isn't even the way to put it. I was a genius, just like the Doctor. And we had two Doctors now, so why was this hard for us to wrap our brains around?

"Pip, are you alright?" Suit asked me getting up and standing by my side. I looked at him and shook my head.

"What's wrong?"

"Doesn't this feel just wrong to you? The three of us together should have had this figured out a long time ago individually. But instead we are just now piecing it together. I'm sorry but I know I am not thick by any means, so whatever this is; there is one hell of a perception filter on it. To fully get all of the pieces to this it might take us longer," I said my pacing growing more rapid as I went on. Suit wrapped an arm around me and steered me to the seat next to my Doctor. He then promptly put his arms around me in a hug.

"We will get it. Okay? For now I think that we are meant to enjoy each other's company in figuring this out and take this paradox all in stride. Weird things happen in this world, things we sometimes can't explain till the end, and that's okay. There's nothing wrong with that as long as we have people to hold our hands through it all. In the morning we are going to go investigate the village nearby and see what we can learn about our situation and find out what is now new to 2372," He said rocking me a little. It calmed me down knowing that this bothered them too, but that they knew we'd have to get a handle on it all by staying very calm and keeping a clear head at every turn of our investigation. I nodded and he kissed my forehead.

"I suggest we all get some rest and look at this with fresh eyes and minds," Bow Tie said letting me go and walking me up to my room. I heaved a sigh before we parted ways for the night and he gave me a wink.

"Goodnight Pippa, things will all look up here very soon. Have a little faith in us alright?"

"Alright, goodnight Doctor." And with that I had to push everything behind me and close my eyes to get some sleep.


	3. Chapter 3

**The Stolen Child**

_Chapter three:_

It was early when we got into town and everything was just starting to open up for the day and people were waking up and enjoying the sunshine. It seemed not very much different from my time. A few people were enjoying their tea on their porches and reading the morning news post. Suit had gotten us some credit so we could stop at a café to get a little breakfast. I enjoyed watching the town start up their day as we ate and chatted lightly about what our plan was.

"Have you been with him very long?" Suit asked as we sipped out tea and waited for our food. My Doctor was lost in his own thoughts. I looked him in the brown eyes and smiled slightly.

"I suppose I have when I think about it. It feels longer than just three years which is what throws me off. I feel that with all the time travel we do that we skipped several years in there and that I've been here most of my life. I wish that I could be with him forever," I said smiling a bit sad that my mortally would eventually get in my way. Suit smiled at me and reached over and placed a hand over mine reassuringly. He asked me more questions about me and my travels and past companions that I knew of that my Doctor had traveled with.

"Tell me how he first met you, that's always the best part," Suit said happily. I smiled in return. I loved to tell people about how the Doctor whisked me away on the night of my grand ball.

"The British Museum of Natural History hosted a ball for the team I led in a huge anthropological find in Turkey. He crashed the party, mostly to check score, but got more than he bargained for when he ran into me and then the Cybermen. I've been with him ever since," I summarized.

"Ah yes, checking score…" Suit reminisced with a smile and a wink. My Doctor snapped out of it suddenly flailing about in his chair.

"Was not!" He said. We looked at him and shook our heads laughing. We got up to start looking around when my Doctor stopped me suddenly. I looked back at him, confused by his actions.

"I'm not sure you should be here…" He said his hand on my shoulder. He was looking over my head at something as I was turned to face him. Judging by his overly concerned facial expression he was sure that something was going to happen.

"What is it?" I questioned him my brows furring a little.

"I…don't know…I just have this feeling like you should not be here," He answered and I sighed. That didn't do me very much good. I patted his hand that was still on my shoulder.

"You think we'll bump into my family here? It's the right time period, though why they'd leave London and come to this tiny village I don't know…" I said to him, keeping my voice down a little. The Doctor and I found out that I wasn't born in 1987 like we originally thought. We ran into my real family in the year 2370 in future version of London. There I found out I was actually born in 2346, to a world famous ballet dancer and a wealthy engineer. I also found out I had a twin sister and a little brother. They told me everything they knew about how I disappeared and how they never stopped searching for me. They welcomed me back with open arms, and gave me a way to reach them while I traveled with the Doctor.

"No.. just be careful alright? I don't want to have to explain to two families what happened to you alright?" My Doctor asked me. I gave him a wink and stood on my tip toes to kiss his forehead. As we looked around we stuck close to each other. The town didn't seem to mind us; they all tapped and hummed the same rhythm over and over again. I found it a little weird, the random beat of four that they all somehow knew. The Doctors began to panic a little, both had a worry in their eyes and I didn't like it.

"No…no no no… it can't be…that's impossible!" Suit cried running out in the middle of the town square and pawing at his face in disbelief. Bow Tie stood still and somber but in his eyes was the same fear that Suit had. After all they were the same person in a sense, so they had the same fears and the same need to never stop running away.

"Pip, remember how I said I was the last Time Lord?"

"Yeah, it's kind of hard to forget that detail," I said a little bit sarcastically. My Doctor shot me a look and continued.

"Well there was one other…one more who survived the Time War and the Time Lock. He was called…"

"The Master," Suit interrupted looking back at us, fear and shock on his face. There was also rage there that I could see.

"He was called the Master and he's a mad genius. He is so intent on causing me as much pain and suffering as he can. I honestly don't know who hate me more, him or the Daleks. But he was pulled into Gallifrey…" Suit cut off his mind obviously running at warp speed to figure everything out. He began to pace in circles again, patting the top of his head and grinding his teeth. My Doctor had slipped his hand into mine and squeezed it tightly. I responded by squeezing back. I felt I had to let him know that I was not going to go anywhere.

"The energy reversal must have been directed at him…and pulled him into this time zone… out of that moment in time… oh this is not good at all…" Bow Tie said. Suit let out an angry noise, that was a mixture of a sigh and a yell.

"Argh! Yes! That makes perfect sense! But if he's from the point in time where I'm thinking, we are all in grave peril. He's so blood thirsty, and angry at everything. He's so much like…like me…after the war…" Suit said stopping and looking me in the eye. It was taking me time to adjust to this new man but I understood so much more about my Doctor through him because they are the same person trapped in a paradox. I held back the urge to let go of my Doctor's hand, and go hug Suit. Instead I stood there, dumbfounded.

"Pip, maybe you should go back to the TARDIS and wait for us there. You'll be safest there. Here, take my sonic with you," Bow Tie letting go of my hand and handing me his sonic screwdriver. I took it without a word and began to head back. That's when the noise caught my attention. I without thinking followed it, the tapping; it was calling me towards this old barn. I reached for the door to open it when the door creaked open on its own. In the centre of this old barn, was a lab full of machines perfect for harvesting energy from the meteor shower. Under it all was a chair, with lots of restraints on it. Standing next to the chair was a blonde man in a nice black suit and a red tie. Behind him was a strange looking creature. The tapping sound drew my mind away and suddenly I got confused. Where was I again? What was I just looking at? Oh that's right, his hand tapping on the back of the chair…that has to be what it was. I knew that in the back of my mind, I was forgetting something marginally important.

"W-what?" I asked finding it slipping from my vocal chords. The man laughed at me and stopped and walked closer to me, walking around me and examining me.

"I'm afraid the Doctor is out, but the Master will see you now!"


	4. Chapter 4

**The Stolen Child**

_Chapter four: _

The man walked closer to me and hit me with a stun gun causing me to collapse to the ground. Then the creatures I had forgotten about put me in the chair under the scopes and machines. The Master walked out into the courtyard to go taunt my Doctors. The creatures kept me restrained.

"Pippa! Pip where are you?" I heard my Doctor yell.

"She's paying me a visit, would you care to join?" The Master laughed. I listened carefully but kept my eyes on at least one of the strange creatures.

"You make me forget…so if I look away, I'll forget you and what's going on? Correct?" I asked one. It laughed.

"Correct"

"Will you tell me who you are?" I asked.

"We are the Silence,"

"If you hurt a single hair on her head I swear I'll…" My Doctor shouted. I kept my eyes focused on the Silence…I had to.

"You'll what? Blow up the sun? Destroy me, or oh, I know! You'll kill all the humans like you did the Time Lords to get her back? I don't think so. The rage of this Time Lord is gone. And the fact that there is two of you makes it that much more fun for me!" The Master cried out.

"Doctor! I'm here!" I cried looking away. The instant I looked away I forgot why I was shouting. I'm not in danger…am I? Why was I shouting?

"Pip? Are you alright? Where are you? Where are you?"

"I dunno, but I'm fine don't worry!"

"Aw how touching…she's alright and doesn't want you to worry," The Master cooed. I squirmed in my seat against the restraints. Suddenly I was aware of something watching me so I looked up. There, those three creatures I saw earlier were watching me.

"I said leave her alone!" My Doctor shouted.

"Did I strike a nerve? Don't tell me you have feelings for this human Doctor? Both of you? You always did have a soft spot for them I never understood. They are only good for games and things…."

"What have you done with Pippa and what do you want?" Suit shouted. I had seen my Doctor angry but I hadn't gotten use to Suit yet, so his sudden rage frightened me. The Master laughed again.

"One question at a time Doctor! Right now I can only tell you one answer. So what will it be?" I wanted to cry out or break free but the Silence kept me under good watch. I slowly wiggled a hand free to grab my cell phone, keeping the Silence in one eye at all times. I sent a message to my Doctor the best I can. _The Silence have me._

"Tell me what we want," Suit demanded his voice harsh. The Master gave a long cruel laugh.

"No."

"But you-!"

"You of all people should know better. I would never reveal my true genius!"

"Doctor!" I never got to finish crying out when a wave of electricity flooded my body. I yelped in pain and tears flooded my eyes. I closed them and suddenly I forgot where I was. I forgot why there was pain coursing through every single fiber of my being. I felt a hand on my wrist and a weird pulling sensation. When I opened my eyes we were no longer in the abandoned warehouse.

"Oh god…."

"Tie her up," The Master barked. I had been kidnapped. I could be anywhere in space and time….


	5. Chapter 5

**The Stolen Child**

_Chapter five:_

After they tied me up they left, which gave me a chance to figure out where I was. It looked a bit like an old hotel room, cheap at that. Felt a bit…stuffy. A bed in the corner, a vanity, a dresser, some table and chairs where all that was in the room. The carpet looked thick, and the wallpaper was floral. The only window was round and small. And the lamps appeared to be gas.

"Gas lamps…that dates late 1800's early 1900's…round windows that indicates a ship…" I mumbled to myself. I closed my eyes and listened. I heard waves and the faint sound of engines coming from the back of the ship. That means second class….maybe starboard side? I wiggled a little and again worked out my cell phone from my pocket and dialed the Doctor putting my cell phone on speaker.

"Pippa! Where did you go? The warehouse is empty!" Bow Tie said. I gasped a little still dealing with the side effects of time travel without a capsule.

"Hush…keep your voice down and listen closely. You need to use the TARDIS to track the call. The Master is working with the Silence and they are using some sort of time travel device that doesn't need a capsule. Nasty side effects…" I whispered. If I was in late 1800 something to early 1900 something I couldn't have anyone overhearing me talking, or see my cell phone.

"Do you know where you are?" Suit asked. They both sounded worried.

"Best guess early 1900's? Nothing past oh…let's say 1920 give or take? I think it's a ship for some kind of leisure. Second class is my best guess, starboard side?" Still a tad bit confused by the time travel.

"Ooh.. you're brilliant you are! Have I told you that yet?"

"We'll count that as you just did."

"Okay the TARDIS is locking on to your signal now…" There was a pause. "We're on our way." That sounded urgent , but before I could say anything they hung up. I heard footsteps so I slipped my phone back into my pocket. Then I flipped on the actor switch.

"Oh…my head….where…where am…I?" I asked the Master as he walked into the room. He just shook his head and smiled.

"Time travel without a capsule…nasty side effects…." He cooed.

"What do you want with me?" I asked faking that I was near panic and beginning to feel sick.

"Oh you'll be finding out soon my dear. Very soon. But right now you are on a need to know basis and you don't need to know."

"That's not good enough!" I yelled struggling. I stopped when one of the Silence came up next to me and stared me down. They made me feel very uneasy. The Master laughed.

"I can see why they like you…now…hold still. This won't hurt a bit." He paused. "Me anyway," and he walked out of the room laughing. The Silence came closer to me and I began to squirm. They had electricity sparking between their fingers. They both reached out and sparked me and I screamed out in pain. Eventually the pain caused me to pass out.

"Pippa! Can you hear me?" I heard Suit say softly. I opened my eyes and tried to look around but everything was fuzzy. Behind my Doctor's was the TARDIS. I felt a hand on my forehead and then two hands holding my face. My Doctor started to come into focus. He had a very concerned look on his face.

"Oh Pip, are you alright?" He asked checking my pulse and then putting a hand on my forehead again.

"I-I think so…" I mumbled as I was handed a glass of water to drink. I drank it up gladly.

"Can you tell us what happened?" Suit asked gently, also looking concerned. I gulped more water before I answered.

"Er, the Master had me…he works with the Silence…I think they…I think they…" I grumbled. Tortured me was what I wanted to say but I couldn't see to get it out. I felt so very weak.

"Doctor, either one of you, please tell me what's going on? Where are we?" I asked as Suit began to untie me and help me to my feet. I wobbled a bit, leaning heavily on him until my legs found their own strength again.

"We aren't sure of anything that concerns the Master right now. But we need to leave, now. We are in danger here."

"Why? Where are we?" I asked again. I looked Bow Tie in the eyes and waited for a straight on answer.

"We are on the R.S.S Titanic, on the night that it crashes into the iceberg. Actually," He stopped to look at his watch. "We are only a few short hours away from the crash. And no, we can't tell people, we can't help anyone. We aren't allowed to meddle in these affairs. They are fixed points in time and you know what happens when we change that! Now come along," Bow Tie said grabbing a hold of my hand. I pulled it out of his grasp and ran out of the room and up onto deck before the two could stop me. I didn't look back as the two men called out to me. I finally stopped when I got to the railing, looking over and out at the water. Everything was black as night and the air was very cold. I felt something warm run down my cheek and I realized that I had started to cry.

"Why are you crying my child? And where on earth is your coat? You must be freezing out here! Take mine…" A man said approaching me and placing his coat around my shoulders. I took it gratefully. I smiled at the man and thanked him. He looked to be about mid-forties and his face reminded me vaguely of my Doctor.

"Thank you sir…"

"Please, call me Jonathan. Doctor Jonathan Wimble, ever so pleased to meet you."

"I'm Pippa, er Pippa Rider," I replied shaking his outstretched hand. We had a brief moment of silence and then he spoke again. His voice was very gentle and it made me think of my father's voice. The only one of the Rider family that didn't think I was some sort of freak. The only one who understood what it was like to be adopted.

"Why are you crying Pippa?"

"I had a bit of a disagreement with my brothers. They are accompanying me on this journey. A lady shouldn't travel alone. They believe they know what is best for me to do when I get to America and I think that they are wrong," I lied. I felt bad lying to him, but I couldn't tell him the truth. And honestly, I had fights with my own family about what I should do with my life. They all think I'd be better putting my mind behind a strong man to do the work. Nobody but my dad even knows that I have a PHD. They all think I dropped out of high school…

"And what is that?"

"Say I should be a housewife, get a husband and settle down. But I want to explore forgotten places and study ancient civilizations. I'm not the marrying type anyway…." I trailed off. He let out a gentle chuckle.

"Sounds like you have a good plan for your life ahead of you. I say don't let them stop you. America is a new place after all. You know…I had a daughter about your age with your same spirit. She wanted to be a painter and live in Paris. She got cholera a few months back and died. My wife died in child birth so she was all I had left. Decided to try America and see if it made me feel any better about my life," He told me sadly.

"My word, I am so terribly sorry! You must be so lonely now…" I replied with a small sniffle. He gave me a weak smile and nodded. We talked a little bit longer before my Doctors found me.

"Pippa! Come back inside!" They called to me. Jonathan nodded in their direction.

"Your brother's I take it?"

"Yes, I really should get going. My apologies," I replied giving a small curtsy to him. He reached out and took my hand and placed something in it before Suit came and whisked me back inside. I didn't get to thank him or give him his coat back. Before I could really say a word I was safely inside the TARDIS and we were off in the middle of space where nothing could hurt us. I opened my palm and saw he had pushed a locket into my hand. Slowly I opened it and read the inscription inside. "_For Pippa, I hope you do everything you've ever wanted and more- Love Dad."_ Tears began to pour from my eyes again.

"He's going to freeze in that water! All because he's kind and gave a stranger his jacket!" I said the tears still falling. I hung my head for a bit just feeling utter loss. I hate time travel sometimes. I really do. I pulled my phone out of my pocket and dialed my father's number the locket still clenched tightly in my hand.

"Daddy?"

"Pip? What's the matter honey? Has something happened?" My father asked. His voice sounded tired, like I might have woken him up.

"I'm having a bad day, and I needed to hear your voice. You're the only one in the family that understands me and doesn't judge me. Did I wake you up?" I asked trying not to sob. I had to be strong for my dad.

"It's a good thing you did…I fell asleep watching the football game on the telly. Our team isn't doing so well again this year I'm afraid."

"I think we're the only nutters in Britain who root for them anyway," I said laughing a little. He joined me in laughing and I could just picture him there in his favourite chair: a book over his stomach and a by now cold cup of tea on the coffee table.

"But tell me what has happened pet. I'll do my best as your father to make it right again," He replied changing the subject. He knew everything that I traveled space and time with the Doctor that I had a PHD and didn't actually drop out of high school. My dad was my best friend before the Doctor. Sad really. The only two best friends I had ever had where my father and an old Time Lord.

"We were on the Titanic. I met this man and he had a daughter named Pippa just like me. Dad he died and there was nothing I could do to save him. He died so alone! The only person to give him any hope reminded him of his dead daughter! How awful of a person am I?" I broke down. My Doctor sat down next to me and wrapped him arms around me while my dad spoke. He calmed me down and told me that I needed to get some rest. He promised that we would talk again soon and by then I would be feeling much better.

"You did the best thing ever for that man, you gave him a little glimmer of hope when he had none. No one wants to be forgotten. And you made it so he didn't die that way. He died a remembered man. That's an amazing thing Pip," My Doctor told me after I got off the phone with my dad. I rested my head on his shoulder and sighed. He was right, of course. Suddenly, like someone had pinched the back of my neck I felt a sharp pain. I jumped up and out of my seat with a small shout. Out of the corner of my eye I thought I saw one of the Silence. In a flash it was gone.

"Pip…are you okay?"

"Yeah…I think I've had too much adventure for today. I'm going to bed I think some rest is what I need…" I said slowly. I don't know if they believed me or not but they nodded as a reply and agreed with me.

"Goodnight boys,"

"Goodnight Pippa," they said in unison. I waved and headed off to bed. I thought I heard Bow Tie remark something.

"Oh Pip, what is going on with you?"


	6. Chapter 6

**The Stolen Child**

_Chapter six:_

I was falling…and then suddenly I landed on the floor of a long hallway. I got up and walked down a strange corridor. The Silence were everywhere and the Master was laughing from somewhere above me. Suit was calling my name. I opened a door to my right and…

I sat up and screamed only to be thrown out of bed seconds later. Dazed and confused I remained on the floor for a bit trying to piece together what had happened.

"Pippa, are you alright?" Suit said bursting into my room and helping me off the floor.

"What's going on?"

"The TARDIS has been hijacked from and outside source. Your Doctor is working on trying to reroute it first. There's going to be some turbulence as we try to figure things out," Suit said helping me downstairs to the control room. I could feel him studying me as we walked and suddenly before we made it into the control room I fell, crippled with pain. Suit got down in front of me and looked me in the eye.

"You're sure you are alright? They didn't do anything to you?" Suit asked resting both hands on my shoulders. The look in his eyes was of concern and kindness, but I also felt his look was one that went into my very soul.

"No, no, not that I remember. I've gone over it and over it in my mind, but my analysis always comes back the same," I replied sighing as he helped me to my feet again. Suit nodded and paused, half smiling to himself.

"Mind if I take a look?"

"You Time Lords and your Jedi mind tricks…." I said not really giving him an answer, but laughing all the same. Suit shook his hands out and reached up and took each hand and placed it on either side of my head very gently.

"Close your eyes. I'm going to walk through your memories and if there are any doors you don't want me to see into, just close them. Nothing to be ashamed of," Suit told me kindly. I did as I was told, wondering what doors I should close to him. He in a way, though a different version, was my best mate and I kept no secrets from the Doctor. He was no sod; he most likely knew already that I was indeed in love with my best friend, married best friend I might add. And he knew things with my family were odd and I dealt with it with some difficultly.

"I've got nothing to hide, don't worry," I assured him. He smiled and laughed lightly causing a smile to rise to my lips. I could feel him walking around almost, in my mind, as if it was a long corridor. He opened the door that lead to that night I was taken from them. He made a noise every once and a while, like an 'ah' or 'I see' would bubble up from his lips. I watched as the night replayed again and flinched a little when it got to where they shocked me repeatedly. He then slowly retreated, so as not to startle me.

"I've come up with the same analysis as yours. I can't tell if they've done anything to you that's suppose to be long lasting, but they could have always planted a memory and those are exceedingly hard to identify. But the good news is you are with two very smart men to look after you if anything goes wrong. We've got your back," Suit said with a wink. He grabbed my hand and we joined Bow Tie at the control room. He was standing by the console which was smoking a little.

"Well, wherever we are, we are stuck for a little bit until the old girl here charges up. Luckily, there's some rift energy here, so fueling won't be too long," Bow Tie said with a smile. I raised my eyebrows at him as he stroked the console lovingly. Suit and I exchanged looks and laughed as Bow Tie blushed a bit. I grabbed a hold of his hand and stared the door down.

"Well, whatever is waiting out there for us can't be too bad right?" I said with a small gulp. The two men sighed and we burst through the doors together into a small workshop. A man, who appeared to be in his mid thirties with a thick black moustache stood in the middle of it all, wonder on his face.

"Shut up! Really?! Of all the places we could have landed we just happened to park in the middle of Tesla's lab?" I said letting go of the Doctors' hands and rushing forward. The man looked taken aback and confused.

"You…know my work?" He asked me coming closer to us. I nodded and then sighed looking at my Doctor.

"Bloody hell, I did it again…sorry…," I said to him. He laughed and the two men began looking around. Both spouting things about what was in the lab and giggling like school girls.

"You are a fan?"

"I think you are one of the greatest scientists of all time. Your level of genius is outstanding and incomparable," I told him shaking his hand. He still looked baffled. I got excited and jumped over to something on the table behind him.

"Ah! The Tesla coil! My god this is so cool!"

"And she mocks me for getting this excited about things…" I heard Bow Tie tell Suit. I gave him a sour look and turned back to my hero. He offered me a seat so that we could talk further.

"Who are you people, and what is that thing? How did you all fit inside of it?"

"Well…you see…it's…." Bow Tie started to say not sure how explain the TARDIS to him.

"Don't cut it short and generalize it for him. He's a genius, he'll get it," I encouraged him. He nodded and waved his arms at the TARDIS.

"This is my vessel, it takes me places like a bicycle or a train would. But not just place to place, but through time as well. The name is TARDIS which means Time and Relative Dimension in Space," Bow Tie said happily. Suit smiled at the TARDIS and the two men together looked a little silly grinning at a big blue box.

"This blue box, this thing, takes you into space? How is this possible?" Tesla asked astounded. I got to my feet, bouncing a little.

"I know she needs to refuel but can we please please please please please show him the inside at least?! Come on Doctor! It will be fun!" I begged the Time Lords, almost getting to my knees I was so desperate. They agreed and I grabbed my hero by the hand and led him into the TARDIS. His wonderment only grew.

"This is my favourite part," Both Doctors said at the same time.

"My word! It's, why it's bigger on the inside! How is this possible? Who are you?" Tesla asked us spinning about, staring at the ceiling and all the controls and things. He gawked and gaped unable to form a sentence.

"You are time travelers then? And this…is your time machine?" Tesla asked Suit. He nodded and smiled.

"I keep them company and out of trouble. I'm human like you. My name is Pippa by the way, I forgot to say that outright in the first place," I said to the very humbled man. His eyebrows went up into his hair a little.

"You mean to tell me that I am standing in a box that's bigger on the inside than the outside, with two aliens that travel through time and space?"

"Nailed it!" Bow Tie grinned. Tesla stepped outside of the TARDIS and sat back down in the chair he had pulled forward. He had his head resting in his hands. I frowned a bit and looked at Bow Tie not sure what to do. He ushered me out.

"He's your hero, go check on him and make sure that everything is okay," He told me calmly. I nodded and he smiled at me.

"Did we…overwhelm you?" I asked my hero sitting next to him. He looked up at me, his eyes wide, but not with fear. They were so full of life.

"Your machine, I saw some modified versions of things I had invited earlier in there. You are from the future, and my inventions are still being used. I was starting to feel like I wasn't worth anything, that my education, my coming to America and inviting was all for nothing. Your arrival, how you dropped out of the blue into my lab, has given me a new outlook on life. I don't know how I can thank you enough for giving me this. You've changed everything. Thank you Pippa, I mean it from the bottom of my heart," Tesla told me. I smiled widely and gave him a hug.

"You've inspired me so much. My family, except for my father, thinks that I am a complete moron. They never believed in me, and the person I looked up to was you. You followed your dream regardless of what others thought. And I felt that if you could do that, then I could too. And because I told myself that every single day, I pulled through. And I never dreamed that I would end up meeting you, let alone helping you, like you helped me," I smiled at him. He returned the gesture. Suddenly my boys came back into the lab from the TARDIS.

"Pip, the TARDIS is all fueled up, we should get going again. We have a mad man to catch," Suit said coming out, and patting my head. I looked up and him and nodded getting to my feet. I shook my hero's hand before getting into the blue box.

"You will like this bit," I said winking to Tesla before closing the door. I ran to the monitor to see his face as the TARDIS dematerialized before his eyes. I watched as he laughed before we faded from view completely.

"Well, you got to meet Tesla after all Pip."


	7. Chapter 7

**The Stolen Child**

_Chapter seven:_

The three of us sat with our legs dangling out of the TARDIS door into space, enjoying the extended air corridor and the view.

"I've always had this bizarre connection to the Medusa Cascade….I feel drawn to it…like a moth to a flame sometimes…" Suit mused randomly as we looked at the stars below us. Bow Tie nodded in agreement but didn't say anything. He was wrapped up in his own thoughts most likely. I didn't say anything to the random dialogue; instead I kept my head resting on Suit's shoulder. I had still been feeling a bit off since my run in with the Silence, and I found it easier to connect to Suit than my Doctor. Sadly it was making my Doctor a wee bit jealous and I could tell.

"You know, we never did figure out why we were pulled to Tesla's lab a few days back…" I randomly thought out loud. I sat fully up right and leaned back on my hands with a pensive sigh. The boys exchange shrugs and nods but didn't say much.

"The TARDIS doesn't always take us where we want to go, but she does always take us to where we need to go. So maybe meeting Tesla was a fixed point in time, and you had to meet him then, or maybe the TARDIS was pulled in by one of his inventions, or the rift energy there. Who honestly knows? Does it matter anyway Pip?" Bow Tie replied the last part a bit clipped and harsh sounding. Just then the TARDIS phone rang and I gladly hopped up to answer it, hoping to clear a bit of the tension.

"Hello?" I paused and waited for a response on the other side. At first, there was nothing but breathing, scared and frightened breathing.

"Pippa? Pippa sweetie it's your mum. Your sister Gemma is hurt Pip; a strange man came to the door looking for you….."

"Mum, tell me everything that happened, down to what day and time exactly it happened. We're on our way alright? Tell Gemma it's all going to be okay," I said trying to calm my mother down. My real mom needed me to return home. She told me what happened and I gave Bow Tie a date so we could lock the coordinates.

"Back to the future!" Suit called trying to lighten the mood a goofy smile on his face. I knew he was just trying to help me, but how could I laugh when my twin was hurt? Was this my fault…?

"She'll be alright Pip, don't worry," Suit said seeing the grief on my face. He pulled me into a hug and I ruffled his spiky brown hair a little, like I usually did. I held back all my emotions and tried to remain as stoic as I could until I got into the house. Gemma was resting on the couch, blankets over her and a fluffy pillow behind her head. She looked so weary and frail.

"Gem…" I murmured running to her and kneeling next to the couch. We've grown very close since we were reunited two years ago. We try to talk once a day if we can, and seeing her in such a bad state tore my heart in two.

"Pippa, you hadn't phoned in a few days and we were getting worried…" she whispered. "I thought maybe something had happened to you."

"That man, the one that hurt you, he's called the Master. He's been after us for a couple of weeks now and I haven't had much time to phone while running from a mad man. I'm so sorry he hurt you Gem, this is my entire fault."

"Don't say that Pip, you can't hold yourself responsible for a mad man on the loose," Gemma said trying to comfort me as I held her hands. My Doctor did a quick scan of her body to see if there was anything else to be done.

"She'll be right as rain in a day or so. She just needs rest. He gave her quiet the fright that's all," My Doctor assured me, resting a hand on my shoulder.

"I am not leaving until you get better, and that's a threat," I said with a sad smile. She laughed feebly. We always said threats where easier to keep than promises so we made those instead. She smiled and leaned back into the pillow getting comfortable.

"When we were growing up, I always knew you were out there alive somewhere, because I could feel what you felt. All of your emotions, and fears were one with me, even across time."

"I always felt like there was a chunk of me missing, like there was someone else that knew me just as well as I knew me, someone who would share my emotions. But I didn't know how to explain it to people and if I did, they would laugh at me. I was so glad when I found you; it meant I wasn't alone, and that I wasn't completely different. I had someone all along to be different with," I reflected. She reached out and touched my cheek delicately with her frail hand and sighed.

"You've been so troubled lately Pip, I can feel it. I'm really worried about you," She said her brows furrowing a bit. It was just the two of us in the living room now. Both the Doctors were talking to my parents and little brother about what had happened. No doubt mum had made tea already for them. I let out an exuberated sigh and looked about the living room. We had so much to do, but all I wanted was to stay here. Even though I had only been here a few times, it felt like home more so than where I grew up did. Here I was always welcome with loving arms from everyone in the family, and no one thought less of me.

"Everyone is worried about me lately it seems…" I grumbled. "You know that man that hurt you? Well he hurt me too, and I haven't bounced back from it yet." I told my twin, letting her know why she was getting such distressed vibes from me.

"The Silence, he let the Silence torture you," She replied nodding. "He made me watch a video of it and it resulted in me having a seizure." The only thing that separated us as twins was that Gemma had epilepsy and had fits often when she got stressed out, especially when it came to the subject of me. For a while I was an off limits topic in the household because my name would almost send Gemma in a fit of rage. She was the only one that thought I was still alive…

"Oh Pip, it was awful!" She said bursting into tears. I held her for a bit until our mother came into the room.

"Gemma, I think it is best if you go upstairs to your room so you can get some proper rest. You won't get any sleep at all out here on the couch tonight," My mother said gracefully swopping into the room. I helped her get Gemma to her bedroom and then we bid each other goodnight.

"I'll be here in the morning when you wake up. Everything is going to turn out just fine," I told my twin. Apparently, I was the first born and tonight it showed.

"Pippa, I have this dreadful feeling. A terrible, awful feeling that keeps me up at night."

"What is it Gem?"

"I…" She paused her lips pursed. Her eyes were wide with fear and despair.

"I'm afraid you're going to die," She blurted. I let out a shaky laugh and shook my head.

"Nope, can't be possible. I have to spend more time with you. Can't do that if I'm pushing daisies now can I?" I told her kissing her on the forehead. I walked out of her room and turned her light off shutting the door and ran right into Derek my little brother. At 19 he was a tall tower, like our father.

"Gemma draws all the time lately, sad depressing drawings of you. I hide them from mum and dad, because they have enough to worry about," He said taking my hand and leading me to his room. He handed me the charcoal and color drawings and I took them to the guest room where I was staying for the night. There I sat down on the bed and looked at them.

"What do you have there, Pippa? How's Gemma doing?"

"She seems like she is a bit off tonight…Derek says she's been off for a while though. Time line fits about when the meteor shower hit. Gemma drew these, they are all of me, all of me…dead," I looked Suit in the eyes holding back the urge to cry.

"She told me she's been having nightmares of me dying, and now she's drawing them out. She says she has this horrible feeling like something is going to happen to me…" I said looking at the first couple of drawings. They were incredibly detailed and life-like, almost like black and white photos, but they were also morbid. The one that unsettled me the most was of Bow Tie, clutching my lifeless body a silent scream painted on his face while Suit stood over him, tears streaming down his cheeks. And above them a strange white form. I wondered if maybe it was some version of the Silence. The back of the drawing read '_The Sound of Silence_' and I wondered if that's what she titled it. Suit looked at them carefully, and tested each one with his sonic screwdriver as he pondered.

"Do either of you have psychic powers?" He asked gazing at me and then back at the drawing. I shook my head.

"No…I don't think so. But we've always been connected somehow, like that twin theory. My Doctor once told me that because I was a time traveler that things affect me different. But Gemma and I have a link, almost like the psychic paper, she gets the affects of the time travel too."

"Quite possibly, but let's not dwell on this now. We'll stick around tomorrow and see if we can't figure this whole thing out okay?" Suit informed me kindly. I nodded and smiled. He bid me goodnight and I went to sleep drifting off almost immediately. My dreams came to me then, dark and morose.

_I felt limp, and cold. My arms and legs wouldn't move and my eyes would not blink no matter what I told them. I couldn't tell if I was breathing or not. My Doctor was cradling me, rocking back and forth on his heels as he crouched on the floor. He was shouting something but it was hard to make out between the broken and shuddering sobs that escaped his mouth. My cheeks felt wet, as his tears fell there and soaked the skin. _

_ "Pip please, wake up! Don't be dead, you can't possibly be dead! I made a promise! COME ON! Pippa, don't die…I need you…. Please wake up…" Suit was silent, but tears poured down his face and he did his best to catch them as they fell. There was a moment where neither man said a word, both just cried. The sound of Silence. What was going on?! _

_ "Doctor," Suit finally said composing himself enough to speak. "She's gone, there's nothing we can do now…" But I'm not dead! Wait! Bow Tie scooped me up and held me on my lap as Suit flew the TARDIS somewhere. He brushed my hair out of my face gently and continued to cry, though it didn't show on his face, I knew that's what two hearts breaking looks like. What two hearts breaking sounds like; the sound of silence. Silence. That's what did this. I knew it. The Silence. When the TARDIS landed Suit left for a bit, and then came back and got my Doctor. He carried me slowly out the TARDIS door and placed me on a pry as gently as he could. He whispered something in my ear, but I didn't hear it. _

_ "What?" I wanted to ask, I wanted to move, anything! Bow Tie lit the pry and the two Time Lords watched it burn. Through the flames I could see them, their forms flickering gently. Then they faded from my view. _

I woke with a start, and realized that I was crying. I was safe, no pry no fire and I was very much alive. I listened to my heart beat a bit, still crying unable to control it. The boys had parked the TARDIS in the spare room so they would be nearby if I needed them. I got out of bed, and pushed open the door. My Doctor was dozing at the console and I wondered over to him, feeling like a lost child. I put a hand on his outstretched hand and it woke him, startling him a little.

"Pip?" He said studying my tears streaked face for a bit. Finally he realized he wasn't dreaming.

"Pippa please tell me what's wrong? Pippa, I'm here, you are safe. Tell me what's going on," He said pulling me to his chest. I rested there, letting the tears fall.

"Hush dear, come on, let's get you calmed down alright?"

"Don't let me die Doctor. Please? I can't die! I have to keep you out of trouble for as long as I humanly can. Please…don't let me die…" I sobbed over and over. The Doctor picked me up and carried me to his room and placed me gently in his bed, and bundled me up. Then he crawled in next to me and held me close and let me cry it out.

"You aren't going to die on my watch okay? Everything is alright Pippa," He cooed. He told me other things, plans he had as soon as we got this all figured out, and I drifted off to the sound of his voice speaking to me in the soft low tone. I didn't dream, and that was just the way I wanted it.


	8. Chapter 8

**The Stolen Child**

_Chapter eight:_

I was aware that I wasn't alone when I woke. I sat up slowly, stretching gently and gazed about. I was in the Doctor's room, my Doctor's room. But I don't remember…it all came back to me, the horrible nightmare and how the Doctor took care of me last night. I looked over at him still sleeping beside me. His shoes were still on, one lace just barely untied and his bow tie was askew. I smiled and kissed his cheek before getting up. I couldn't help but watch him as he slept. He didn't look so old, all the worry and cares gone from his face while he slumbered.

"No it's not…they're cool…" He grumbled in his sleep as I closed the door behind me. I padded down the hallway trying to be sneaky and forgot to look where I was going. Rounding a corner I plowed headlong into Suit.

"Ah good morning Pippa, what are we up too?" He asked a smile on his lips and one eyebrow raised. I blushed and looked away sheepishly, though I had nothing to be ashamed of for I did nothing wrong.

"Nothing, I had a rough night that's all…" I replied looking him up and down a bit. He grinned and gave me a quick wink.

"Your mum has breakfast ready," He told me walking away. I jogged down the stairs and pulled the door open. Instead of seeing an empty bed, I was greeted by nothing, just void and vacant space. It felt slightly cold, and I slowly extending my hand reaching out into it. It seemed to swallow my hand, and as I stood there my breath quickened and my heart rate peaked at a fast beat. A sharp noise seemed to come from within the darkness, a clicking sound that moved closer toward me. Frightened I withdrew my hand quickly and backed away as the TARDIS door swung shut and locked.

"Wait…" I said jerking on the door, but it wouldn't budge. "No, wait Doctor!" I cried. I frantically tried to find a way out when I suddenly awoke safe and sound in bed. It was just another nightmare…

"No…this isn't right…"

"Or is it..?" The Master's voice filled my head. I looked about again, finding I was all alone in front of the TARDIS door. Suit was coming down the stairs, a confused look on his face. I wondered what it was I had done this time to warrant that look.

"Pippa, is everything alright? You were shouting," He stated. Ah, there it is. I was shouting, again, wonderful. I released the death grip I didn't know I had on the door handle. Everything seemed normal, nothing out of place, except for maybe me…

"The Master…I thought I heard him…here, inside of the TARDIS…"

"That's impossible Pip," Suit replied his eyebrows knitting together. There was a loud commotion from behind us and my Doctor came clamoring down the stairs.

"Pippa, what has gotten into you lately?" He asked as he struggled to pull his tweed jacket on. I couldn't help but let my heart sink a little when he said that. They both mostly likely think I'm cracking and any second will snap into a full blown nutter.

"Yes Pippa, tell us, what's been troubling you lately?" The Master ridiculed me.

"Please tell me you heard that. He's here I swear! I just heard him again," I begged them. My boys exchanged glances of deep concern. I tried my best to hold it together but I was fading quickly. They walked me to my room and told me to rest a little longer and that they'd have breakfast heated up and ready for me after I got a little more shut eye. I didn't believe them, and I honestly think they only half believed it themselves. From in my room I could hear them talking outside the door.

"We have to do something, I'm getting really worried."

"I am too but there really isn't much we can do."

"There has to be something!"

"What about…"

"I don't know, she's so fragile…."

"He's got a grip on her somehow; some sort of link…what if we sever the link?"

"But how?"

I began pacing my room up the side of the bed and back. I was not going to get any sleep that was for sure. God, what was going to happen to me? I was so frightened all the time now, and it was all because of the Master. A sudden searing bolt of pain washed through my body and I collapsed to the ground. After the pain subsided I stayed on the floor, gazing up blankly at the ceiling.

"Little Pippa, so weak and insubstantial. So….what's the word…ah…so mortal. You're so easy to manipulate my dear."

"What do you want?" I whispered to no one. But he was there, in my mind. Lurking and skulking like he has been.

"Many things, I have so many things I want to teach you. You see the world is cruel and unforgiving. It takes and takes heedless of what others need. I want you to fully understand that my sweet," He giggled in a low voice. I could feel his breath in my ear, feel him kneeling beside me and watching me. Yet, in my room, I was alone. I wondered for a second if this was my final moment.

"I already know the world is cruel. Don't you know anything about me?" I asked him.

"Oh I know everything there is to know about you Pip. Everything you've hidden away so no one would find them."

"You like to play games with people and that's what you are doing to me now. I'm not going to fall into this like you think I will!" I stated trying to be strong. While I talked to the Master I kept my voice down so the Doctors wouldn't hear me.

"You want people to suffer, for me to suffer and for both of the Doctors to suffer and I won't let it happen!" I snarled. I could see his face behind my eyes when I blinked, and he was laughing.

"Oh smart girl, yet so thick at the same time, you don't get it yet do you?" He crooned. I closed my eyes but it didn't block him out any. "Humans are so weak and frail and expendable. Yet The Doctor has such a love for you. You think he'd learn that you die, all of you, in the end will die." He whispered the last part, mostly for effect. He was one for the dramatic I had noticed. He was clearly pleased with his work so far, because he hummed while he waited for my reply.

"So the plan is to kill me then?" It was hardly audible when it left my lips. He laughed, and I thought I heard him clapping his hands…no, that's my imagination running away with me.

"Yes, but not now. No no no…that just won't do to have you die now…" He said the last bit like he had some huge scheme planned and I didn't like the sound of it. "No there's no fun in killing you now. You see Pippa, The Doctor has to see the life leave your body."

"So it's to be mental torture then?" There was another laugh. I sat up my blood pounding in my ears. He had me so angry, and though I tried to hide it I knew he was enjoying my silent rage. My empty room stared back at me, feeling as broken and dejected as I did.

"I'm not going to let you get away with it. You know who you're dealing with right? I'm the Stolen Child and nobody, even The Doctor, messes with me," I told The Master as he went back into lurking in his dark corner of my mind. I closed and locked the mental door he went behind and hoped it would hold him for a while, but I knew he'd be back.

"Pippa, may I come in?" Suit asked knocking on the door and pushing it open a little. I pulled the door open and wrapped myself into his embrace. He pulled me in and held me tight. I enjoyed the smell and feel of him and sighed.

"Is everything alright?" He asked as we continued to embrace. I wondered what to tell him. I could tell him more than my Doctor that's for sure. I pulled away and started to nod, but it quickly turned into me shaking my head.

"Not really. He's in my mind Doctor. It's this awful corner I have to keep locked all the time and if I get even a little caught off guard he sneaks out and torments me. I'm afraid something bad is going to happen," I told him taking a hold of his outstretched hand.

"I won't let anything happen to you Pippa, you know that."

"I know, just a bad feeling I have you know? Like when someone is watching you?" He nodded in reply and smiled. He brushed my hair back out of my face and kissed my forehead.

"Let's go get some breakfast and see if that doesn't at least help a little alright?" He smiled encouragingly.

"Come along Doctor."


	9. Chapter 9

**The Stolen Child**

_Chapter nine: _

Breakfast wasn't very eventful, and Gemma seemed to be doing much better. The overall mood was happy and content. Save for the minor brooding my Doctor seemed to be doing. I took a big gulp of my orange juice and threw a monkey wrench into the mood and conversation.

"I have a question."

"What is it Pippa?" My father asked looking very concerned. I waited until he finished chewing and then asked my question.

"Can you tell me about the night I was kidnapped?" He coughed a little, taken aback. I gently set my silverware down and folded my hands in my lap and looked down at my plate.

"I apologize for the question; I know it's a painful subject. But I believe that it has something to do with what has been going on and I need to know what exactly happened," I stated softly. My parents exchanged looks and then my father cleared his throat. My siblings looked down at their laps uncomfortably.

"Well, it happened 23 years ago…today as a matter of fact. You and Gemma were one at the time and Gemma had been sleeping in our room so we could monitor her epilepsy better. You both were mildly upset most of the night and it was well after midnight by the time we got you both down for bed. I had just crawled into bed to go to sleep, your mother had gone to bed a little earlier when I heard the window in your room slam shut. It's a heavy window and if you bump it just a little it falls and slams. I thought maybe the cat had locked himself out again so I got up to check it out and saw you were gone. In your place was a note that read '_sorry'_ and that was all. We phoned the police and the rest well, you know the rest," He explained calmly. I nodded and my Doctor scowled at me, though I wasn't sure why.

"Why do you think it has something to do with what's been going on?" Derek asked curious. I let a sigh escape me as I pondered the right way to explain it.

"Well, I obviously became a time traveler at a very young age, because you don't end up in 1988 randomly. That sort of thing just doesn't happen. And The Doctor always tells me that things affect time travelers in a different way than others. I have a theory working that maybe I have a connection with the Silence going back to my kidnapping or I developed a link with them as a side effect from time travel at an early age. I don't honestly know because I have nothing to really test it and try to disprove it, but it's the only thing that rationally makes sense," I explained. I excused myself from the table and cleared my dishes off. I apologized for being a downer to the family and went to the TARDIS to do a little more thinking. I sat at the console my giant sketch pad in my lap and my charcoal pencils ready to go. When I needed to do some serious thinking I drew while I did it.

"Permission to board captain?" Suit said interrupting my thoughts. I looked up and nodded with a smile. I wiped a stray hair out of my face and added a few touches to my drawing.

"You've got a bit of charcoal on your nose…," He told me with a small chuckle and reached out and wiped it off. He then gazed down at the drawing in my lap.

"What's this?" He asked pointing and giving me another smile. The picture I had drawn was of a little girl standing by a street lamp, across the street from her a large box with the words '_police box_' written across the top.

"I didn't know it till after I had started traveling with him, but he use to check up on me as a little girl. This drawing is the first time I saw him. I was six years old and walking home from the library where I spent most of my time. My dad had come to get me and a man stopped him, I think he was lost. I saw this strange box and knew that it was filled with power and wonderment. I was frightened and awestruck simultaneously. I saw a man run up to it and step inside. And, for some reason, as he got into the box he looked at me and I couldn't help myself: I waved at him. I saw the box once every year after that for a long time. I stopped seeing it after my sixteenth birthday. Then I saw it one last time, when I actually meet the Doctor and became his companion. It was like it was my guardian my symbol of hope. I always saw it on a bad day, and then once I saw it everything would be great for weeks. I have no idea why, still to this day why he checked up on me, but I know there's something to it. Most of my thinking doodles and drawings are of the TARDIS. I know when I'm thinking about it, I'm safe for at least a while in some strange way," I told him. He continued to admire my drawing and we chatted lightly about random things. He told me jokes and silly stories and I laughed till I almost cried.

"You and Gemma have a real gift for drawing. You're both incredible artists!" He said with a wide smile. We had a brief moment of silence and without thinking I impulsively grabbed his face and planted a kiss on his lips. He seemed a bit astounded right at first but went with it and kissed me back with more passion and intensity. I don't know how long the kiss lasted but the loud sound of the TARDIS door opening startled us both and we spilt from our moment of passion a bit shocked at ourselves. My Doctor was standing in the door way, his eyes angry. I bit my lip and looked away. I was sure going to get it now….


	10. Chapter 10

**The Stolen Child**

_Chapter ten:_

"I'm going to see if Gemma and Derek want to take a walk; it's such a lovely day…" Suit said awkwardly. Bow Tie had his laser eyes locked on to me, and it felt as if my soul was on fire. We remained still like statues until the TARDIS door closed behind Suit as he left. Without thinking I lifted a hand to my lips, still feeling his pressed to mine. Bow Tie continued to stare and I finally spoke up.

"What do you want me to say? I'm sorry? Oh, forgive me for being human and letting myself get caught up in a moment that certainly never happens to Time Lords. Is that what you want to hear?!" I asked him my voice raising a little. I watched as his firm jaw clenched and he tried not to let his anger explode out all at once like a bomb. He took a deep breath in through his nose.

"I want you to explain yourself!"

"Who are you, my mother?! I yelled back throwing my sketch book on the ground in rage. I headed for the door to go find a place to calm down but he grabbed my wrist tightly and twisted me around to face him.

"I want an explanation for what I just saw," He said, his jaw so tight I could almost hear his teeth clacking together.

"What more is there to tell?! I kissed him! What's the bloody deal?"

"The deal is that he is my past! You're meddling with things you shouldn't be!"

"Oh mister know it all…time is being rewritten! Obviously this paradox has thrown a wrench into your game of charades Doctor! If that's your past then you know what he's feeling right now! That pain and loneliness he's feeling, the heartthrob of getting over Rose. I'm just doing what companions are supposed to do: keep you company! Or did you forget that? But in this case I have two of you to try and please so forgive me if you've got a case of the green eyes monster!" I snapped. He jabbed a finger at me in outrage.

"Snogging is not part of the deal!" My Doctor quipped back a fierce scowl on his face. I scoffed at him and sneered mockingly my eyes rolling back into my head a little.

"Oh, right…so when you snogged me that doesn't count right? Because you're Casanova and you can snog who ever you like. You use to be so full of love when Rose was around. I see that in him still. I don't see it in you. She gave you life! Then you got married and now you're just old and bitter! Does River know what a mean old bean you really are? What a crotchety and angry man you are inside?" I shouted my hands waving about in the air in anger. He rounded on me and got in my face making it clear I had crossed a line.

"How dare you bring River up! You leave her out of this you hear me?! She loves me more than you could even reverie!"

"Deaf, blind and thick I see. You sod don't you get it yet?" I screamed stepping away from him. I turned my back on him and wiped the few angry tears that were clinging to my eyelashes.

"Get what?"

"You see?! I love you, you dumb ass! But clearly you don't care. I didn't mean to kiss the other Doctor and the only reason why I did it was because I know he becomes you eventually…" The angry tears began to turn into tears of sadness. I sat down on the seat nearby my back still turned on him.

"Pip…"

"No, I don't want to hear it! Leave me alone!" I cried not looking at him.

"And never you fear the TARDIS isn't going anywhere while I'm here. I can't fly it remember? Or are you thick enough you didn't know that either?" I snipped. There was no sound for a minute or two, then I heard him sigh and his footsteps going down the stairs and out the door. I waited to hear the door click closed. I didn't even hear the click of the lock closing and keeping me inside of the ship. Once I knew he was gone I broke down and cried. I don't know how long I cried for but I cried until I feel asleep.


	11. Chapter 11

**The Stolen Child**

_Chapter eleven: _

It was really cold when I awoke, alone, curled up on the seat next to the console. I gazed up and wondered why it was so bloody dark.

"About time you woke up. You almost missed out on all the fun," The Master said. I frantically looked about for him but I couldn't see him. He must be inside my mind again.

"What have you done?"

"Honestly you did most of it, I just helped a little. You got the Doctors out of the TARDIS and left me with the best opportunity. You...alone with no one to save you…." He cackled. I dashed to the doors and flung them wide open. There below me was Earth. I knew the emergency settings for the TARDIS and knew that soon the extended air corridor would give out to give me more oxygen later. I closed the door quickly and leaned back against them.

"You'll die all alone Pippa Rider, with only your regrets to haunt you," The Master chortled. I flew over to the console and picked up the phone but it didn't have a dial tone. I knew my cell phone wouldn't be working then either. I flipped on the console monitor and checked my oxygen level stats and when the heater would give out.

"Shit…I have two choices….suffocate, or freeze to death. This is bloody brilliant…" I sat down on the edge of the steps and sighed. The TARDIS no longer felt like a home as it once did. Now it was my tomb. The TARDIS would drift back to Earth in a few hours and the Doctor would find it, along with me in it, dead. What a great thought that was.

"I'm so sorry Doctor…I've let you down. You have such faith in us and such high expectations and when we fail them we fail….well the greatest thing that could have ever happened to us. I let you down in your past and present. God knows this will screw up your future too. What a bleeding sod I am, to think I could do anything for anybody right…." I mumbled to myself, crying a little. I wondered what was going on down there on Earth, if any one missed me, and if my Doctor was still cross with me. I had been gone a while now, and the sun was just starting to set on Great Britain.

"May I make a request?"

"Yes?" He replied slowly a bit of annoyance in his voice.

"Could I please phone my dad so he knows what happened to me? I've accepted the fact that you've won and that I'm going to die, I just want to let him know that I love him," I pleaded. My phone suddenly made a loud beep and I pulled it out of my pocket to see it was calling my father.

"Hello Pip," He said answering cheerfully.

"Hi…dad…how are you?" I asked feebly. He sounded so happy and I wondered if mum made his favourite for dinner. His voice was like warm tea with honey and I could see the smile on his face. It gets confusing having two families in two different times and though I loved my twin and my other family in the future greatly, they didn't raise me, and so I didn't feel quite as close to them as I did my dad who raised me and took me under his wing when I was left on their doorstep.

"Dad, I'm in a bit of a jam here, and I'm not entirely sure I'm going to make it out of this one alive," I whispered to him. Tears rolled down my cheeks silently as we talked. My dad made a soft hushing noise to quiet me.

"Hush that kind of talk Pippa. I didn't raise you to think like that no matter what kind of bind you got yourself into. My Pippa always keeps her head on straight and uses that brilliant mind of hers to think of a backup in case she left her original backup plans in her other pants," He told me with a soft laugh. I tried to laugh back but it came out as a whimper. I began to reply but my voice started to crack.

"Tell me exactly what's going on."

"I'm trapped, orbiting Earth. I can see good old Britain below me. The sun is setting…it's so awe-inspiring to see from in space. Oh daddy, I made the Doctor cross with me and now I'm going to die all alone in space," I broke down sobbing. He did his best to console me.

"Now listen here pet, there isn't any situation that you can't fix. There's a solution to everything and I know damn well you remember me teaching you that. Chin up and it'll clear up," He told me gently. I blew my nose and nodded thought he couldn't see me.

"I'll see your face again soon enough…"

"Face…oh that's brilliant! Just bloody brilliant! Dad I have to go, but I love you very much!" I hung up feeling better. I darted over to the console and ripped part of the cover back and pulled at the wires frantically. Though I didn't know how to fly the TARDIS, I knew how to override the Master's lock so that someone could teach me.

"Just loop this circuit and flip this…ah! Now to boot it up!" I cried out pleased with myself. I smiled looking around to see nothing smiling back at me. A moment very much like my Doctor would have done. There was a whining noise and a small fizzle and my Doctor sprung up before me. He was a bit fuzzy and slightly see through but that meant Voice Interface was working and fully operational. In a few moments the picture would become clear as if it were the real thing. I let out a whooping holler of joy.

"Voice Interface activated."

"Um, changes faces please…I'm a bit cross with that one…" I mumbled. Suddenly the image blurred and Suit was standing in front of me.

"Much better," I nodded. "So, I'm in a bit of a tricky situation and ended up trapped on the TARDIS. Emergency settings…"

"Emergency settings have been turned on. Heaters to fail in twenty minutes, oxygen holding for fifteen," Voice Interface Suit interrupted me.

"Yes I know, thank you. As I was saying I'm in a tight spot and I know it's not standard protocol but I need to be taught how to fly this baby. I'm going to die up here, and emergency drift settings won't take over for another seven hours. By that time The Master will have most certainly done a great deal of damage to both versions of the Doctor trapped in the paradox and could do unspeakable things to Earth. Six billion people are counting on me, as well as two of the same Time Lord. That has to override most protocol settings rights?"

"Correct you are! Now get over here quickly we haven't got much time before you suffocate!" The Suit Interface told me ushering me over to the console with a smile on his face. Gently he began to walk me through the steps of what I needed to do. It almost seemed real, as if The Doctor was teaching me how to fly it. Occasionally when I would accidently bump into him as the TARDIS spun about towards Earth he would flicker and vanish for a brief second and reappear.

"Now gently pull the blue stabilizers out and push the gravity flux in at the same time."

"Sort of like driving a clutch?"

"Exactly!" Suit Interface replied happily. I did as was told. The TARDIS began to make her familiar noise that made my heart soar.

"Quickly lock in coordinates…good…now hold on!" Voice Interface Suit Doctor instructed with a wink. With one final lever flicked up I parked the TARDIS. I leaned against the railing and sighed.

"Stabilizing oxygen levels and heating, preparing for nomination in four, three, two, one," Suit said when we touched down. I could feel the air flow in a little and it was great to know I had dodged the Master's death trap once again.

"Before you leave Pippa there is something I must do."

"I know, you have to wipe my memory. It'd be irresponsible if I knew how to fly it and since I'm not like River, where the TARDIS is part of her it also doesn't seem fair. I get it," I replied with a half smile. Suit nodded and when I blinked I saw a flash of light and suddenly the last thing I remember was yelling at Voice Interface for interrupting me. I shook my head and took a deep breath. Slowly I pushed open the TARDIS door and stepped outside. Waiting for me was my family, accompanied by both Doctors, three of the Silence and the Master. How did I know?

"Miss Rider! So glad you could be here in person to see what things I have in store for your family! But your surprise is bigger! Oh we are going to have so much fun!"


	12. Chapter 12

**The Stolen Child**

_Chapter twelve:_

I was immediately seized by the Silence and pulled over to where my family was huddled in the living room of the house. Both Doctors were loosely bound while the others were not. Shocking must not have worked on my Time Lords as well as they had hoped. My hands were shackled together with a strange substance and then our captors left to converse in the next room. I was met with tons of talking all at once as soon as they left.

"One at a time please, and keep your voices down we don't want to get in trouble," I reminded everyone. Suit piped up first.

"I'm so relieved you're alright. What happened?"

"He trapped me on the TARDIS, pulled it into space and locked it into emergency shutdown. I was going to suffocate if I hadn't figured out how to reprogram Voice Interface and have it show me how to fly the TARDIS back," I whispered. He smiled and gave me a wink as a job well done. I returned it, my eyes still sore and dry from all the crying I had done.

"Hey, Voice Interface should only correspond with my voice!" My Doctor said slightly offended. I let out a small snicker.

"Not anymore. It recognizes both of our voices now. I also learned a lot about you through it. Why haven't you fixed the..."

"Now is not the time to have this conversation Pippa! I'm glad you are alive but we need to think of a plan!" Bow Tie interrupted me. He was still a bit cross with me I could tell, and I leaned my head on Gemma's shoulder. She ran her fingers through my hair and I closed my eyes thinking.

"I've told you you're brilliant before right?" Suit asked and I smiled. I couldn't hug him since we were both bound but I could stand on my tip toes and place my forehead against his so we were eye to eye. After a bit he winked and I slouched back down. He kissed the top of my forehead quickly.

"You've only told me so about a dozen times," I said winking back one more time.

"Quiet in there! Prisoners should not be chit chatting!" The Master shouted coming back into the room. The Silence loomed behind him and when I looked at one directly my head began to swim for a bit. I shook it clear and let out a heavy sigh. Their forgetting effects seemed to be far stronger on everyone else than me. The others seemed dazed and confused, and it gave Suit the opportunity he needed to undo his binds.

"I'd so love to start with you Pippa darling, but I think we should start with your mother dearest! And we'll have some good fun," The Master said pulling my mom toward her and sitting her down on the couch. One of the Silences came up beside me and handed me a modified cattle prod. I gaped in horror at the weapon placed in my hand and shook my head.

"No," I told him firmly. He giggled at me. I closed my eyes slowly hoping that this would go away. When I opened them it had not. The Master got a chair and placed it in the centre of the living room and gestured for me to sit in it.

"If you don't do it, then it shall be done to you," He taunted. I handed the prod to my mother and sat down in the chair where I was quickly tied to it as tight as possible.

"You are such a slippery one Miss Rider, did you know that?" The Master declared with a frown. "And I don't honestly like that."

"I'm sorry to hear that sir."

"Don't patronize me girl, your time is coming to you swiftly," He snapped getting in my face. He looked at my mom and took the prod away from her.

"No, you won't have to torture your own daughter that would be too cruel. Well actually not as cruel as what I am about to do…now which Doctor will be assisting me with this today hmm? Oh! I know…" He said pointing at Bow Tie. The Silence pushed him towards me and the Master and he grimaced. He struggled against them until they gave him a quick bolt of electricity and he gave in ready to obey. He glanced at me and gave me a sad look that clove my heart in two. A loud sniffled caused me to look away at my family to see that they were all crying. The Master gave my Doctor the cattle prod and his eyes got wide in fear.

"No…no…."

"Yes! Yes you will. Or I will do it for you. And I am most certainly sure you don't want me to do that now do you? We all know how that will end."

"What is it you want from me?" My Doctor asked outraged. The Master laughed again and everyone in the room flinched. He locked eyes with me and an involuntary shiver ran down my spine.

"She's figured it out, why haven't you? It's what I always want Doctor," He trailed off taking the prod and jabbing me in the side with it. I let out a wail of pain as the amplified voltage raged through my body. Tears leaked from my eyes only making the pain worse.

"To make you suffer," The Master finished his sentence releasing me from my private hell. I gasped and gulped for air. My heart raced and my body tried to stop my muscles from twitching like it was still fighting.

"Alright, I'll do it," My Doctor said weakly. His throat went suddenly dry. The words barely left his lips they were so soft. The Master laughed in triumph. I watched through eyes that felt incredibly jaded as my Doctor took the prod from the Master.

"Pippa, I'm so sorry I yelled at you. I didn't mean it I promise," He whispered a tear rolling from his eye. I nodded feebly and slowly raised my heavy feeling head to look him in the eye.

"Doctor it's alright, just do what he says," I whispered back. I looked away and made eye contact with Suit as my Doctor reached out and as gently as he could poke me with the cattle prod. I gritted my teeth and tried not to cry out, but a small yelp escaped my lips. The Silence in turn shocked him as a punishment for his actions.

"Do it right Doctor or I will," The Master warned. My Doctor closed his eyes, more tears rolling from them and did it again, longer this time. My body went stiff and I tried to hold back the feeling that I was falling into a seizure or worse. I did convulse a little and they sent the chair to the floor tipping me on my side. That's when Suit made his move. He bolted for the TARDIS and quickly flew off with it. The Master cursed and grabbed the cattle prod from the Doctor's hand and held it to the same place before and pushed the button.

"Goodbye Pippa Rider," He whispered as I convulsed again my body going into shock. There was too much pain; I didn't know how much more I could take. I felt him twisting it deeper into my side and the tissue splitting open in agony. Then I blacked out. When I came to I was no longer tied to the chair and my side was bandaged well. Everything hurt to move.

"Pippa…."

"Please tell me I haven't died," I mumbled groaning in agony. He laughed very slightly and shook his head helping me to my feet. I swayed a bit and crumbled in pain into his chest.

"Pip,"

"Not now Doctor you can tell me this important thing later," I said steadying myself and turning to my family. "Is there some place you can hide, some place you can go that is safe?"

"We've got a beach house on the coast…you talk as if you aren't coming with us," Gemma spoke up.

"I'm not. I have to help get the Master and restore order. It's what we do. Go, now, I'll be fine," I told her holding her hands. I tried to hide the fact mine were shaking in pain but she saw it. She gave me a warning look and kissed my cheek. I exchanged hasty goodbyes with the rest of my family and they took off hastily trying to escape the horror they had just seen. I turned to my Doctor and smiled my hand outstretched.

"Allons-y!"


	13. Chapter 13

**The Stolen Child**

_Chapter thirteen:_

Suit took the TARDIS on a trip around the world trying to shake the Master. That was the plan anyway. Then when he lost him he was suppose to meet us outside of London at the train platform to take us to the cliffs where this had all begun. As we ran to the station my body was afire. Each step was a jolt straight up my side to where my gaping wound was blistering. I could feel the blood soaking the gauze, but refused to say anything to my Doctor. I can't alarm him in anyway. There was also the heavy presence of The Silence in my mind, suffocating it. I wasn't sure which one was going to kill me first and I knew I had no way out of it this time.

"Hold up Doctor, I have to slow down. I'm sorry; I just can't run with this bandage. It's coming free."

"Would you like me to take a look at it?" He asked stopping all together to gaze at me.

"No! No…its fine, I just need to slow down. I know we are in a hurry but I can't move any faster," I hastily replied. I tried not to grab at my side, but I gave in fearing the bandage was no longer holding the massive amount of blood flowing from my body. If I wasn't careful it was going to bleed through my shirt and cause a huge fuss. Everything was in pain though, and it made it hard to think and hard to keep up my ruse. We made it to the train and got seats and once everything was settled I excused myself to the toilet to attend to my wounds. Once locked inside of the tiny compartment I broke down. After a bout of crying and minor freaking out, I pulled myself together and assessed my damages. Pulling my now slightly blood stained shirt up. Then like some Egyptian mummy I unwound the dressing wrapped around my torso. One side of my rib cage was black and charred looking with two small holes where the prod was sunken into my skin. It was tender, though most of the skin there was dead. That wasn't really what the problem was. It was the exit wound on the other side of my body, where the electricity left that was causing issues. It was like a large caliber bullet had ripped through me, and erupted out on the other side leaving a gaping hole. I knew that the current had left a trail of disaster as it raced through me, shutting down my kidneys and liver as it went through. I was lucky my lungs and heart were okay too, but I only had a few hours to live if not less. Taking a deep breath I padded the wound down to stop some of the bleeding and then redressed it with the spare gauze we packed. I muffled a sob or two into my shoulder as I did and grimaced. It was not fun work. When it was all done I returned to the Doctor but not before making a quick phone call.

"Pippa is everything alright?" My twin sister said her voice strained. I could tell she knew I was in a lot of pain and I sighed.

"Gemma listen to me very carefully alright? I'm not going to make it; I'm dying Gem. Between the gaping hole in my side and the Silence pressing on my brain like a tumor I'm not even sure which one will do me in or if I'll make it through the night. I'm positive this battle is going to kill me. You need to be strong okay? And when I'm gone don't give up on drawing or anything else. We'll still always be together as long as you continue to do the things that you love. I have to go, I can't keep the Doctor waiting. I love you sis."

"But Pippa wait…" But I had already hung up. I put on my best poker face and walked back to our compartment where he was waiting for me.

"So what's the plan?" I asked him. I tried to stay as normal as I possibly could but with so much fear inside it was exceedingly difficult. The pain was making it hard to focus on anything.

"Ah, well you see, I was hoping we could come up with one together. Just like old times," He said with a wink. I wanted to hug him but knew better.

"The machine that brought him here, that's the source of the paradox isn't it? So in a way it's what is keeping the paradox stable. By destroying that we should eliminate the paradox and the Master. Everything will correct its self right?" I voiced my thoughts to him. I gazed out the windows at the rain streaking down them. I've always wanted to go out in a rain storm, its more like a dramatic book that way.

"My time is running out now…" I mumbled under my breath. I looked away and back at my Doctor. He was smiling kindly almost like he knew, but there was no way he did.

"Was there something you were going to say to me?"

"Nah, it can wait, like you said," He replied shaking his head. I just hoped he got whatever he needed too off his chest before it was too late and he regretted it. A fresh upsurge of pain washed over me and I struggled not to make too big of a scene as it did.

"Pippa what is it?" My Doctor asked as a feeble moan escaped my lips. I looked up into the lights and held my breath trying to control everything once again.

"Come to me Little Pippa. We have plenty of unfinished business we have to attend too," The Master said inside of my mind. Again the Doctor called out my name and I gave a small whimper in reply.

"It's about to begin."


	14. Chapter 14

**The Stolen Child**

_Chapter fourteen:_

We met Suit outside of the station and then we promptly got into the TARDIS where he took us to the tiny village where our whole adventure had begun. It seemed still, even with the gentle rain that pattered down.

"Now I want to know how you two got this whole plan worked out without even speaking a word!" Bow Tie said as the TARDIS took me to my demise. I tried to focus but it was maddening.

"Twins, Doctor, Gemma and I have a link. I gave her the plan and then let Suit use that little Jedi Mind trick thing you boys do where you walk among our memories and got the plan to him as well. I didn't have enough time to do the same for you so you got left out of the loop."

"But why did Gemma have to know and not me?" Bow Tie asked. I gave him a warning glare.

"Because she's my sister, and I don't want anything to happen to her or the rest of my family," I replied. I was too weak to argue and it came out sounding almost like a question. I wanted to just lie down on the floor and stare up at the lights that seemed to float around me. That's what I really needed right now, was to start hallucinating. Wait…I knew this light…Gemma had drawn it….. it was the TARDIS, the soul of the TARDIS. It was so pretty…

"Isn't the Master in your head as well?"

"Yeah…but the Silence is the ones that have the real control over me. He just uses them to speak to me in my mind. But I can block him out. It's sort of '_Harry Potter_' like in a way," I replied almost giddy. Both Doctor's laughed a bit nervous at my reactions to different things about the inside of my beloved TARDIS.

"They'll be waiting you know," I said leaning back on the railing finally getting a grasp on myself. Suit nodded somberly and handed me a sledge hammer. I took it, knowing it would be almost impossible for me to lift it to try and defend myself.

"Yeah but we'll be able to do this. Two Time Lords against one. The Rage of the Time Lords combined," Bow Tie said almost as if he was gloating. He did that a lot I noticed. I help back a gasp as more pain cascaded through my body. I took a deep breath in through my nose and followed my Time Lords out onto the 'battle field'. Rain dripped down my face as I stared the Master down.

"Pippa, Doctors! I've been _dying_ to see you again! Ha ha! Get it?! I'm funny, aren't I funny?" The Master asked the Silence. Who in return did nothing, they just stood there. The Doctors looked at me a moment and then back at him. I remained as steely faced as I could.

"So clever of you Master, I really must commend you here. You've outdone yourself. But we all know what is about to happen, don't we? My good Doctors are going to make you an offer; it's always such a tempting one isn't it? You will then turn this offer down and laugh maybe make another smart little biting quip. So let's skip to the chase and get to the fight. We have got a very grave situation on our hands and I'm not in the mood for a lot of talking. By the way…did you like _my_ little pun?" I asked the Master with a raised eyebrow. He grinned and made a motion and the fighting broke out. I kicked the nearest Silence I saw bringing it down on its knees. Then I grabbed a rock and bashed its head in. Thunder crackled from both the sky and the finger tips of the Silence and the rain poured down harder.

"What did he mean? What did you mean?! Pippa, tell me what's going on?!" My Doctor asked me as he went into a frenzy. I didn't answer him, not right at first. I just continued my war path trying to do as much damage as I could before I was spent.

"Pippa…?"

"Never you mind love," I told him seeing an opportunity and taking it. I had a clear shot of the chair and I lobbed the hammer as hard as I could at it. The force sent me to my knees and I sat there gasping heavily as the throw hit its mark. But it wouldn't be enough to fix the paradox.

"Argggh!" Suit screamed running into the mess his sonic screwdriver held high. He jumped onto the chair and began to go crazy, sonic in one hand and hammer in the other. He looked up at me and winked for a moment before going back to work. A Silence was coming toward me slowly, hand raised ready to shock me to oblivion and end it all right there. Suddenly there was a loud cracking sound and the chair crumbled to the floor with Suit triumphantly standing on top of it. The Master stopped laughing and stared at me, horror in his eyes. Then I blinked and he was gone. I let out a sigh and collapsed onto the ground as the Silence fled.

"Come back you bastards! I'm not done with you yet!" Bow Tie shouted waving his arms. Suit knelt down in the mud next to me and touched a cold hand to my face.

"How come you're still here?" I asked confused.

"Side effect, remember? I'll take a couple of days to fade out completely. You can't get rid of me that easy!" He said with a wide smile. The link I had was broken, I was free of the Silence but not of the wound that was slowly killing me. There was also a new presence that had taken the place of the Silence. But this one was good, I could sense it. That was when the Doctor's noticed my tee shirt.

"Oh my god Pip! You're bleeding! And bad!" He hoisted me up and barreled into the TARDIS gently setting me down so they could examine me.

"One of the Silence got me with a little stray zap that's all."

"I don't think so. Tell me the truth."

"I hate when you do that! Fine! The Master did it…back at the house….Doctor…I have a confession to make," I said trying to make sure I kept them both calm.

"I'm dying. The Master was trying to give you little clues to it. Doctor I'm dying and there is nothing you can do to fix it."


	15. Chapter 15

**The Stolen Child**

_Chapter fifteen:_

The look my Doctor gave me splintered my heart into pieces. Suit stood behind him, not entirely sure how to feel yet. It was just like my nightmare and Gemma's drawing.

"No…you can't be dying."

"Check my vitals with your sonic screw driver or call up Voice Interface system. They'll both tell you what I'm about to tell you. I've got maybe fifteen minutes left," I mumbled weakly. He grabbed his sonic screwdriver and waved it over me and gave it a quick flip like he always does, that look on his face. He let out a small cry as the readings come back. I tried to smile at him but it was hard.

"Hey, look at me. I was always meant to die, you can't fix this. Nobody can, it's a fixed point in time. The Silence won this round, bid deal. They wanted you to suffer, so they brought the Master back to kill me. But if you let my death get to you and get under your skin and corrupt you then my death will be in vain."

"When did you figure this all out?"

"On the Titanic," I shrugged. Suit finally piped up.

"Typical typical Pippa Rider! Oh you are so brilliant you are!" Suit said, his eyes looking a little wet, but a smile on his face all the same. My Doctor was also close to crying. My eyes had shed to many tears recently to be able to cry now.

"Why didn't you tell me?!"

"Because I know you love. Fixed point in time and all I knew you'd try to find a way around it and disturb a paradox already in place and force us over the tipping point. I looked it up on Voice Interface while I had some time to think up there in space by myself and knew this was the only way it had to be," I replied. The water works had started and fat slow tears trailed down his cheeks. Suit let out a weak chuckle. He knew all too well of what I was speaking. There was that light again…right behind my Doctor's head. She was calling me.

"Not just yet. I need a few more minutes to say goodbye," I told her. The light winked once as if to say 'okay' and then faded. I turned my head a little to look at Suit.

"You're bloody brilliant! And after you fade you won't remember much of me. It'll all be like some distant dream you can't quite recall. But the good news is the dead never forget. This will always be a fixed point in time and our paths will always end up here in the end," I told him. He smiled and nodded twice as the tears poured down his face and off the end of his nose a little.

"And you…" I said fixing my focus back at my Doctor. He still had me cradled in his arms.

"What to say to the man that gave you everything and asked for nothing in return? The man I'll always be destined to love? Life will still go on for you, even without me and you'll help so many people some much like me on your way."

"There's no one like you Pip…" He whispered. We had a moment of silence and he leaned down and kissed me for a brief moment.

"Don't tell River," He joked, his laugh coming out of his mouth like a grabbled sob.

"I believe I had better tell you what I was going to say before I regret it eh?" He laughed again even more grabbled than before. I nodded and gave him a small wink my hand gently cupping his face. Everything had intensified, the pain the light and sound. But my vision was starting to go dark around the edges.

"Pippa Rider, when we were fighting and you told me that you loved me? Well, I love you too. I was a fool…"

"Hush that talk love. I know it's alright. We companions are special to you and you love us all I know I know. You weren't a fool, you were magnificent. It's all behind us now," I whispered putting my finger against his lips.

"You will never be alone."

"What do you mean?" He asked crying harder now. Suit had turned away most likely crying more too. I silenced him and smiled.

"Just listen to the sound of silence and you will find me waiting there for you. It's time now…time for me to go. She says it's not bad, when you cease to be alive. Sad when it's over but only for others. Goodbye Doctor we had a good run eh? Geronimo." I closed my eyes and felt a weight leave my body. No more pain, and no more fear. It was like flying into the sun, warm and free. Then I was gone. Forever.


	16. Chapter 16

**The Stolen Child**

_Chapter sixteen:_

I clutched a now lifeless Pippa in my arms, rocking back and forth on my heels as I sobbed.

"Pip please, wake up! Don't be dead, you can't possibly be dead! I made a promise! COME ON! Pippa…don't die…I need you…please wake up…," I begged between broken sobs. The Other Doctor was silent, one arm crossed over his chest and the other holding a hand to his mouth, crying. He was doing his best to hold them back, I could see it on his face but they ran freely.

"Doctor…," He finally said composed enough to speak.

"She's gone; there is nothing we can do now…" I pulled Pippa up and held her on my lap as I sat in the chair. The Other Doctor flew the TARDIS. We collected up her family, the ones from her future and her father that raised her. We took them to one of our favourite spots overlooking the sea. She looked so peaceful as I brushed a stray strand of hair from out of her slightly cold face. I continued to cry, though I refused to let a single sob leave my lips the tears would not stop. In fact everyone was doing the same, refusing to look where she lay across my lap. After we landed they built a large pry to burn her body on.

"She wanted to be remembered this way. To be honored as a Time Lord would have been. To be commemorated in a way that was more meaningful to her than anything else," Suit said. I hung back, letting the Other Doctor and Pippa's loved ones light the pry. I watched for a moment, as that beautiful face hid behind a wreath of flame. After awhile I could no longer take it and I excused myself to go be alone with my guilt. I slowly ambled into the TARDIS kicking something on my way in. It was Pippa's sketch book, which she threw during our fight. On the top was a drawing I had never seen before. It was of a little girl staring at the TARDIS which was parked on a street corner. This brought a fresh wave of tears to my eyes and I slid to the floor, clutching the note pad to my chest.

"Doctor…" I heard Pippa's voice say. But that was impossible. And Gemma sounded absolutely nothing like Pippa. No…it just couldn't be…

"Doctor!" I heard again. I was baffled. I wiped my eyes with one hand and looked behind me. Pippa was standing behind me. I didn't know what to do…then suddenly she seemed to flicker a bit. It was an image of Pippa being projected by the TARDIS. It hit me then, that it was Voice Interface.

"Pippa is that really you?" I asked astounded. She smiled that sly smile of hers and winked at me.

"With all the tampering I did with the Voice Interface System I ended up fusing myself into the program… well…sorta."

"What do you mean, 'sorta'?" I questioned her. Already, it was just like old times.

"Well she helped a bit, gave my soul a place so to speak and made it a permanent change. This is the new look of Voice Interface from now on. And the name isn't so long. All you have to do is call my name," She replied winking.

"She?" I asked puzzled.

"You call her 'Sexy'," Pippa grinned teasing me. I a blush rose to my cheeks a little when she said that. The TARDIS had fused her soul to a different part of its self.

"Now I will be with you forever! You'll never be lonely again," She read my mind. Her tone was very soft almost sad.

"Doctor, there's something you have to do for me," Pippa told me speaking slowly. She frowned and I could tell that something was bothering her.

"Anything Pippa, anything at all!" I replied so happy that she was back in my life. She bit her lip struggling to piece her words and fumbled with her hands.

"How to say this…You have to steal me Doctor. You're the reason I'm the Stolen Child. And I know it hurts me to say this and it hurts you to hear this but it has to happen Doctor. Don't you understand? You've been a part of my life since the very beginning. Leaving me presents for my birthday, and coming to see all of my school activities. You were even at my graduation, all of them. You're my guardian angel and if you don't go back and steal me, I have nothing to show for in life. You and Tesla were the two things keeping me going my entire life; I just never said anything about it to you."

"But…that means that in the end, I'm part of the reason you died…"

"If you don't do this for me Doctor I will have never fallen in love with a mad man with a box, met Tesla, or changed the lives of some incredible people. All of those things we did, that, was worth dying for." Those words brought more tears to my eyes, though only briefly. I had to stay composed for Pippa.

"I never wanted you to die…"

"And I never want a world without you in it," She replied smiling. The others started trickling back into the TARDIS and Pippa vanished from sight. I knew she'd be hiding, listening to what was going on. The Other Doctor seemed down and out still and the other's had red eyes. The ride back was silent and eerie as we all kept to our own thoughts.

"I found an old gravestone with Pippa's name on it as a little girl. It was well taken care of and I always felt drawn to it, like it was her. Now I guess I know the truth," Gemma told me sadly as we stood in the doorway of the TARDIS.

"Goodbye Doctor," She mumbled.

"Goodbye Gemma, I'm so sorry…," I whispered. She nodded and took off walking. Most likely going to that gravestone to draw and reflect. I took Pippa's father back next and he looked at me with the saddest eyes I've ever seen. I now knew where Pippa learned that look from.

"I'm not really sure if I should file a missing person's report or just fake an accident and fill out the death certificate and get her a gravestone next to the rest of the family. That would be the easiest I suppose, less to explain and then I have a way to visit her. Thank you for trying Doctor. I know you did your best," He told me clapping me on the shoulder. He let out a heavy sigh and looked at the stars overhead.

"She did love the stars…I guess now she's up there among them all the time, enjoying it all," He mused. I turned toward the Other Doctor and he smiled pathetically.

"It's a day full of goodbyes…"

"It most certainly is…"

"I look forward to dreaming about this. I know she'll be in my dreams every night, watching me and making sure I'm alright."

"Me too Doctor. Me too…" I said half heartedly. He began to fade from view as the paradox finally reversed. I pulled a few levers and took the TARDIS to Pippa's house the night she went missing. As I readied myself I heard her voice in my head asking at the dinner table about the night she was stolen away.

"She was giving me a hint the whole time about which baby was which! Oh Pippa, you are so bloody brilliant, even in death," I mumbled to myself miserably. I hid and watched as her parents from her true time put her to sleep in her crib.

"Good night sweet little Pip, may you dream of stars and wonder tonight," Her mother said closing the door. Carefully I crawled through the window and using my sonic screwdriver I muted the baby monitor. Slowly I walked over to the crib and grabbed the edge peering in. Staring back up at me was the grinning face of Pippa, only much younger. I sighed and the baby let out a small giggle.

"Hello back at you Pip, I'm The Doctor," I said unable to keep a smile off my face. I bent over and picked her up, wrapping her up in a blanket to keep her warm.

"You might hate me for a bit Pippa. I'm really sorry though, and I promise that I will do everything I possibly can to make everything right. And I swear that you will never be alone. Ever," I told the baby. I left the note reading only '_sorry_' and then slipped out into the night. I rushed back to the TARDIS as quickly as my legs would allow me to go, still holding baby Pippa to me tightly. When I got there Pippa was waiting for me.

"Everything is all ready to go; you don't even have to do a thing. It's kind of fun being able to fly the TARDIS now," She said grinning. The familiar noise began to whir and the baby cooed and laughed in my arms.

"Oh my, I was so adorable!" Pippa said gazing at the one year old version of her from over my shoulder. I turned and smiled at her and for a moment the look she gave me broke my heart. It was so very sad.

"We have it so easy in the beginning," She said still staring at the baby.

"What?"

"Humans, we have it so easy as babies. We're cute so we are easy to love and if we have the right people in our lives we are loved for an eternity."

"Or more," I added smiling. I knew I couldn't touch her, because she was just a projection of herself, but I wanted to so badly. I wanted to reach out and hold her hand. But those days were over now. She turned from me and landed the TARDIS in front of her childhood home.

"Outside of these walls is a man who only a few hours ago watched his daughter die, but here we are giving him that chance to have a child he will always understand. And she will always understand him as well. I promise your new daddy is going to love you sweetie, trust me I know. I use to be you. And I know things are going to be tough, but it's okay to go to him and cry. He'll always love you and you'll always be his special girl," Pippa told the baby sadly. She watched me adjust my bow tie and pull out my psychic paper. With a heavy sigh I stepped out of the TARDIS and knocked on the door. There was a pause and then a strapping young man opened the door. Two kids playing in the back ground would run by every so often.

"Mr. Rider?"

"Yes, that's me."

"My name is John Smith and we got your request to be a foster parent household and young Pippa here was an urgent case," I explained. His eyes lit up as he saw the baby. I gently handed her to him and his smile grew wider.

"We're actually looking to adopt if that is at all possible. I was adopted as a kid, and I want to give that same chance to a kid like me," He replied looking me in the eye. Tears were forming at the very corners.

"Well that was something I was hoping I could talk to you about. This young girl has a pretty tragic story and we were hoping that you would be open to doing a closed adoption to keep her from any harm that might come from her past. You could adopt her right away if you would like. The only problem is that some of the files we would need for her adoption got lost in the fire. But I have good news, Judge O'Connor owes me a huge favor and if you go to him tomorrow morning at 9:00 he will have everything you need to make Pippa an official member of your family," I told him with a huge smile. He actually giggled a little.

"Pippa huh? I've always wanted a little girl named Pippa. Thank you so much Mr. Smith," He replied shaking my hand. I smiled and walked away as he closed the door. Then I had a quick chat with the judge and it was back into the TARDIS were once again Pippa was waiting for me. This was going to be our new thing I could tell. She'd always be waiting for me when I got home. I sat down on the chair and she stood next to me.

"All taken care of, you are stolen once again. Now what do we do?" I asked her putting my feet up and sighing. She smiled at me and I couldn't help but smile back.

"Well, we have all of time and space to travel…why not go watch me grow up? That will only take a little while I promise," She whispered the last part sadly and again I had the overwhelming urge to hug her tightly. Instead I smiled clapped my hands together and did as requested.

"Geronimo!"


End file.
